Improvement in hand corn-planters



` Hand Corn-Planters. N0.144,'565. Patented Nov.H,1873.

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MILES C. ROOT, OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAND CORN-PLANTERS.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,566, dated November 11, 1,873 application iled July 15, 1873.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, MILEs C. Boor, ofJanesville, in the county of Rock and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand Corn-Planters; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same upon a line extending from front to rear; and Fig. 3 is a like view of the lower end of said device, showing the operating parts in a different position.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the iigures.

The design of my invention is to increase the eiiiciency and ease of operation of apparatus employed for planting corn by hand; and it consists, principally, in the employment of an adjustable stop for locking the operatingrod in an elevated position, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified. It consists, further, in the means employed for operating the slide or dropper, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, further, in the extended portion of the casing which forms a cover or protection for the rear end of the dropper, substantially as is hereinafter set forth. It consists, further, in the construction of the adjustable slide, by means of which its capacity can be regulated without removal from the casing, substantially as is hereinafter shown and described. 4lt consists, further, in the construction of the cover employed for inclosin g the supplyopenin g and its combination with the casing, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter speciied. It consists, finally, in the device as a whole,

. when its several parts a-re constructed and combined to operate substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

In the annexed drawing, A represents a cylindrical metal casing, having its otherwise open ends inclosed by two wooden blocks, B and C, the latter of which is provided with a central channel, c, that extends from its upper to its lower end, and with a right-angled notch, c', within which the plunger is permitted to move vertically. To the lower end of the block C is attached a bill, D, of usual form, while upon its upper end is placed a slide or dropper, E, which is arranged to have a horizontal movement within suitable guides, and at one end extends outward through the casing A into a supplementary casing, F, that is attached to the side of the latter. At or near the vertical center of the casing A is placed a horizontal partition, G, within one side of which is provided an opening, g, that communicates with a compartment, H, that is formed by means of a vertical partition, h, which extends between the walls of said casing,'the dropper E, and said partition G, said dropper being arranged to pass through the lower end of said compartment into the space f formed by the supple- `mental casing F. An opening, e, is formed in` and through the dropper E, in such a position as that, when the latter is moved inward to the position shown in Fig. 3, said opening shall coincide with the lower end of the compartment H; and when said slide is moved outward to the position shown in Fig. 2, said opening shall be within the space f, the lower end of which latter communicates, by means of a channel, f', with the channel c within the block G.

As thus arranged, it will be seen that, if grain is supplied to the interior of the upper part of the casing A and the slide caused to reciprocate within its bearings, said grain,passing downward through the compartment H, will rest upon said slide, and, when the latter is moved inward, will fill its opening e, while, by moving said slide outward, the grain contained within its said opening will be carried and discharged withinthe space f, from whence it will pass downward into the bill D, and be ready for planting.

The horizontal dimensions of the opening e within the slide E are varied at will by means of a gage, E', which is constructed as shown, and held in place by means of a setscrew, e', that passes downward through an elongated opening in the horizontal portion of said gage, and has its threaded end contained within a threaded opening in the face of said slide. By loosening said screw, said gage can be moved inward or outward, so as to corre` spondingly diminish or increase the size of said opening c. When moved outward to its farthest limit, the end of the slide E extends through an opening in the side of the supplemental casing F, so as to enable the screw e and the gage E to be manipulated with ease, and without the necessity of removing said slide from place. The slide E is operated by, means of a rod, I, which has, preferably, a rectangular form in cross-section, and passes downward through the center of the block B, through the partition G and said slide, into the channel c of the block C. From the slide E the rod I (when drawn upward to its highest point) extends outward and upward to or near the rear wall of the casing A, and thence inward and upward to its former line, so as to form an incline, z', which, when said rod is moved upward or downward, causes said slide to be moved horizontally outward or inward, as seen, the operation of said parts being easily eifected, the friction between their bearing-surfaces being comparatively slight. The lower end of the operating-rod I is provided with a crossbar, K, which has substantially the same thickness, and extends horizontally between the sides of the bill D, and, when caused to move up and down with said rod, forces the charges of seed into the ground in the usual manner.

In order that the vertical movement of the operating-rod may be prevented when desired, a bar, L, having the shape, in side elevation, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is pivoted to or upon the upper end of said rod I immediately below the handle I', so as to be capable of turning l downward, with its lower end resting upon the upper end of the block B, (when said rod is moved upward to its fc rthest limit,) as shown by the full lines, or by being turned outward and upward, as shown by the dotted lines, to offer no obstruction to the free movement of said rod. The shape and position of the locking-bar L enable it to be readily manipulated by the thumb of the operator as his hand grasps the handle I.

Seed is admitted to the casing A through an opening, A', provided at or near its upper end, which opening is inclosed by means of a door, M, constructed of sheet metal, in the form shown, and hinged at its lower end to or upon the contiguous portion of said opening. The upper end of said door is extended above its opening, so as to form a stop, which prevents it from passing entirely through the same, while its sides are extended inward, so as to form fianges m, that, being sprung into said opening, bear against the sides of the latter with sufficient force to cause said door to maintain any position in which it is placed, either open or closed.

A gage, N, attached to and made vertically adjustable upon the rear side of the bill D, completes the device, the advantages and operation of which have been sufciently described.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new 1s 1. In combination with the operating-rod I, the seed-slide E, and casing-A, the hinged locking-bar L, as and for the purposes described.

2. The casing A and supplemental casing F, the slide E having gage E ,the bent operatingrod I, and hinged locking-bar L, when combined and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The cover or door M, provided with the flanges m, and combined with the opening A of the casing A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of June, 1873.

MILES C. YROOT.

Witnesses:

ED. F. CARPENTER, XV. J DOOLITTLE. 

